Vivienne Tam

Two threads ran through Vivienne Tam's Spring collection Tuesday night: peonies and an homage to the late Yves Saint Laurent. The YSL element could be seen in the tailored suiting options; the peonies could be seen everywhere. "Every woman loves peonies," Tam declared before her show, and she wrote her love letter in prints, appliqués, and cutouts evoking the bloom's lush beauty. The tailoring was beside the point (it's just not Tam's thing), and the less said about her pinstripe version of Le Smoking, the better. The peonies were much more successful. Flowy maxi dresses in a petal print looked light, cool, and full of life; a snazzy, pleated chiffon silk sheath with a single oversize blossom on it had a graphic appeal. Tam's protracted show had its share of blunders, and these missteps weighed down a collection that had several lovely moments.